PM Urges NWC to Provide Potable Water to More Persons

Member of Parliament for St. Ann, North Western, Dr. Dayton Campbell, is urging the National Water Commission (NWC) to provide potable water to several sections of the Constituency, which are now without the commodity.

He pointed out that only 24 per cent of the constituency is provided with potable water. “This is way below what could ever be deemed as acceptable,” Dr. Campbell said.

The Member of Parliament was making his contribution to the 2013/2014 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 21.

He noted that the residents of Brown’s Town have been affected by the disruption of water service, because of pump failure at the Minard Well.

“We feel strongly that due care has not been taken to ensure the speedy restoration of service to these residents. Brown’s Town is a melting pot of activity. It is the booming education capital, thus the disruption has had dire effects on normalcy,” Dr. Campbell said.

He informed that the short term solution has been to truck water to the affected residents, businesses and institution.

“Looking to the future, we would love to see the well in Green Park become operational. This will see great benefits to three of the four constituencies in St. Ann. This would see residents of the community of Bamboo being able to turn on their pipes and open up this cool piece of paradise to better housing and greater efficiency in farming. This system would also dovetail with the supply in Brown’s Town and thus prevent any recurrence of the current problem in that area,” Dr. Campbell said.

Meanwhile, he noted that a well was dug in Queenhythe over a decade ago by US Marines; however no potable water is available to the residents.

“Tank Weld has stepped up to the plate and is offering to be a part of a public-private partnership to get this project up and running. They are offering to get the well operational and lay pipes to 100 metres on either side of the well. The NWC would then step in and complete the project, seeing water going to Queenhythe, Content, Retirement, Keith and Home Castle. These are practical solutions to complex problems,” Dr. Campbell said.

Contact: Latonya Linton